The case for a staycation: A CityMom’s POV
Listen, I love to travel, and perhaps controversially, I love to travel with my kid. I so enjoy sharing new experiences with her and seeing old things new again through her eyes. It’s easily one of my biggest joys as a mom. That said, I have a lot of anxiety surrounding public spaces, travel, people, and my kid in all the above. I know - it's a paradox.
Enter: The Staycation
At first, the thought of a “staycation” (spending your vacation days at home) was not appealing to me. Especially as a stay-at-home mom on the heels of 2020. But as the years have progressed and my kiddo has grown, we’ve spent more time together exploring closer to home. When I realized Spring break was right around the corner (seriously, how does it surprise me every year?), my first thought was, “Let’s do a staycation.”
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There are perks…no, really
For those who read that and thought, “eh,” here are the undeniable perks of using your PTO to stay home:
Control your travel: No airline drama, weather delays, layovers, flat tires, traffic…
Low cost: With the price of eggs (and everything else), saving hundreds or even thousands by staying home is pretty attractive.
No cancellation disappointment: Why does everyone get sick the night before departure? Or worse - halfway through the trip? If that happens on a staycation, you’re already in your fave place to recoup, and there are no cancellation fees!
Change your mind: The itinerary on a staycation is all up to you and can be as strict or as fluid as your moods (or that of your kids).
Keep kids in their routine: No reconditioning is required when younger kids can stay on track while they’re out of school.
Nothing to forget: Have you ever stressed about packing everything you might need before a family trip? Not a problem with a staycation.
The Instagram Era
I’m not knocking it, I love the ‘gram! But it does seem like a lot of vacationing has become about posting stories instead of enjoying the locale. And I’m guilty of it. Like, really guilty. A staycation takes the pressure off. Odds are, even if your hometown is filled with IG-worthy spots, they’re likely old news to the people you’d be sharing with, reducing the urge to post, post, post.
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Become an explorer in your town
If you’re like me, you have a “To Try” list of local places, experiences, and restaurants in your notes app. A staycation is a great time to check some of those off! And because you’re on your own time, you can try a local hot spot for lunch on a Tuesday when it’s much less crowded or get better (and cheaper) seats to a matinee. If you use Spring break like I plan to, remember that popular kid-centric spots will likely be more crowded than usual. Do a little research off the beaten path and find some new-to-you activities to check out. You might just find a new family fave!
I have started planning our Spring break staycation, and the flexibility of that week off is refreshing. We are on our own time, and if one day my kid or I are not feeling it, that’s OK! Honestly, I’m really looking forward to it.
